Paul-André Rosental, editor. Silicosis

Silicosis is a chronic, incurable, disabling lung disease that can lead to death, and it is caused by inhalation of fine silica dust particles. The health effects of silica dust exposure might manifest and progress many years after exposure has ceased. Silica is also one of the most common elements in the earth’s crust; a wide and evolving range of industrial activities results in continued cases of silicosis into the twenty-first century. Paul-André Rosental’s edited collection Silicosis: A World History provides a full and nuanced understanding of the emergence of the concept of silicosis as an occupational disease. The ensuing legislation, compensation, and attempts to mitigate its effects are described through a historical analysis that takes into consideration transnational histories, spanning a range of political, economic, and scientific organizations. Within this broad context, the specific roles of employers, workers, scientists, and governments are considered. Starting in the late nineteenth century, these role players, subjected to various demands and constraints, played shifting roles that at times promoted, and at other times hindered, the evolution of the concept of silicosis as a work-related disorder.

Archaeology · Silicosis · Diverse Historical and Scientific Studies · Historical Studies and Socio-cultural Analysis · History · History of Science and Medicine